JAW DROPPING MOMENT

{"I saw that you were perfect, and so I loved you."}

"Where is Frery Kayne now?"

I turned my head slightly, expecting to be the one to answer. But before I could, Nessa's voice filled the space, instead calm, sure, and effortlessly composed.

"He's meditating," she said, folding her arms across her chest. "In the Kayne land garden sanctuary."

Byron blinked, not expecting that response and the rest of the council members. Desmond, of course, was the first to recover, a slow smirk creeping across his face. "Meditating," he repeated, as if tasting the word on his tongue, finding it amusing. "That's an interesting choice for a man who just threw down a challenge to Lord Marcel."

I studied Nessa's expression steady, unbothered. "He's not waiting for an answer," she continued, voice unwavering. "He's preparing for one."